


Chances Are, We'll Be the Combination

by SilverSlashes



Series: You and I [2]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood and Gore, Crazy Peter, M/M, Medical Trauma, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-01
Updated: 2014-05-01
Packaged: 2018-01-21 11:05:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1548374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverSlashes/pseuds/SilverSlashes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles and Derek are trying to settle into their relationship. But secrets from Derek's past, Scott's new flame, and their own insecurities threaten to keep them apart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I had so many people ask me to continue this story - both here and on LJ. I almost didn't because I knew that any follow-up would at least be as long as the first one. But, I felt that the second part of this story deserved to be told. Thank you for reading and commenting. 
> 
> As a side note, I have now corrected some of the punctuation mistakes that were in the first story. I think it was a disruption in the code when I transferred it over from LJ.

Don't get me wrong, I'd never say never

'Cause though love can change the weather

No act of God can pull me away from you

I'm just a realistic man, a bottle filled with shells and sand

Afraid to love beyond what I can lose when it comes to you

~ _Chances_ , Five for Fighting

 

  

Stiles was barely holding it together, the steadiness of his hands kept firmly in check by strength of will and the erratic pounding of his heart. It was the first time since he had heard his mother’s EKG flat line that he had had an out of body experience. He could clearly see Danny, working to somehow stanch the flow of blood. He could see his own hands working to slip the IV into Scott’s arm, attach the bag of solution he needed.

 

He could hear himself screaming things, at Danny, at Derek, at Allison.

 

“His pulse is slowing, get the paddles ready in case he crashes. We just have to keep him alive long enough to get to the hospital.”

 

Danny left the gauze in place as he turned to ready the machine, they were already soaked through with blood, stuck to the shredded mess that was Scott’s chest. Stiles felt the nausea catch in his throat and he swallowed it down.

 

“What the fuck happened, Derek?!” Stiles was panting but his hands were still steady, his fingers pressed into his best friend’s wrist, feeling for the reassurance of a sluggish pulse.

 

Derek was looking down at Scott, blinking rapidly like he was trying to wake-up. “My Uncle, Peter, he, I had only just figured out he was in town. I wasn’t even sure he was still alive…”

 

Allison, sitting beside Derek, gripping Scott’s other hand, her tear-stained face pale in the interior lights of the ambulance, still managed to sound in control when she spoke over Derek, “he followed my father and I back here, to San Diego.”

 

Derek glanced at her and Stiles saw a flicker of puzzlement before his face took on a grim expression, “of course, he’s probably been tracking you for a while, biding his time,” Derek’s voice was whisper at the end, “he can be very patient.”

 

Stiles began removing the soaked, loose bandages and replacing them, “I have no fucking clue what is happening, but it is extremely fucking obvious that no one bothered to tell me about it!”  


Derek looked pained, “Allison and her father are hunters.”

 

Stiles stiffened and blinked, “you let my best friend go on a date with a hunter?!”

 

Allison raised her voice, “My father and I aren’t like the hunters that you probably have known of Stiles. We live by a code of honor.”

 

Derek glanced sideways at Allison as he spoke, “they even asked my permission to move into my territory.”

 

Stiles threw his hands to the side, smacking Danny in the chest with one of them, “well, that would have been great information to know a week ago!”

 

He let his eyes cut into Derek, “I’m glad to see that your tradition of keeping me in the dark hasn’t actually changed.”

 

Derek winced, “you make it sound malicious, I’ve just been trying to get everything in place, settled, I was going to tell…”

 

The machine screeched and Stiles realized he could no longer feel a pulse in Scott’s wrist.

 

“Fuck! Danny, the paddles, now.” Stiles threw himself onto Scott, his palms coming down onto the visceral mess of tissue and muscle and blood. He started chest compressions, moving aside when Danny had the paddles ready.

 

After two shocks and a terrifying moment, a blip appeared on Scott’s heart monitor, then another, his heartbeat existent once again… but for how long?

 

Danny looked over at Stiles, “we’re still ten minutes out and he’s lost a lot of blood Stiles. There is a lot of chest trauma. He could crash again any minute.”

 

Stiles tried to formulate a thought beyond the terror taking over his body. He was going to loose someone he loved, again. He tried to compartmentalize, tried to think through the medical options, the statistics.

 

His gaze flickered to Derek’s and he opened his mouth not really understanding, even as he said it, what he was saying, “bite him.”

 

Derek’s eyes widened in shock and Allison gasped. Derek started shaking his head at the same time that Allison let out a pained, “Stiles, no.”

 

Stiles switched his even gaze from Derek to Allison, “I know you’re a hunter, but if you live by a code then you have to know that the chance to live life as a werewolf is better than no chance to live at all.”

 

Derek shook his head, “I can’t promise it will work Stiles and Scott doesn’t really understand, even if you have told him about me. He has no way in this state of consenting to it.”

 

Stiles couldn’t help the angry feeling coursing through him and he couldn’t seem to contain the level of his voice, “well he didn’t exactly consent to dating a hunter either or consent to being dragged into this fucking mess! His choices were taken away from him by people who weren’t honest,” his eyes cut to Allison, “and I think that, given the circumstances, he won’t mind you trying to save his life.”

 

Stiles felt the vicious words building in his throat and he couldn’t stop them as they spilled out of his mouth, “it’s your fault he’s dying!”

 

He wasn’t sure if he was talking to Derek or to Allison, probably both of them. But, his words had the effect of a slap to each of them. Stiles wasn’t sure how it was possible to feel both sickeningly awful and viciously vindicated at the same time.

 

Derek leaned forward though, looking absolutely disgusted with himself.

 

His eyes found Stiles and his voice was broken glass when he spoke, “I understand you’re trying to save your friend, but I have never turned someone without their full consent and I want you to understand that when he wakes up, _if he wakes up_ , you will accept partial blame for what is about to happen.”

 

Stiles nodded, the slow beep of the heart monitor still loud in his ears. He thought he heard Allison sniff, but he refused to move his eyes away from Derek and his descent over Scott’s body.

 

Stiles couldn’t see Derek’s teeth shift, but they must have. He knew beyond all doubt that this was what needed to be done, but he couldn’t help but feel the fucking unfairness of it all as he watched Derek sink his teeth into the tender, mutilated skin on Scott’s side.

 

Stiles felt Danny flinch beside him, but Stiles refused to give his body that satisfaction, remaining stoic and forcing himself to look at the bite in Scott’s side as Derek sat up.


	2. Chapter 1

**_Almost One Week Earlier_ **

 

“Dude, you don’t even _know_. She was beautiful. I just couldn’t move for a second and then, she said, _I think that’s my latte_.”

 

Stiles smirked at the look of shear awe on Scott’s face as he recounted his encounter with an angel, his words not Stiles’, in the coffee shop down the street that morning.

 

“So, you took her latte off the counter thinking it was yours?”

 

Scott nodded, “yeah, we ordered the same thing. It is meant to be dude. I’m gonna call her tonight and make a date.”

 

Stiles grinned, “for your wedding? Don’t you think it’s a little soon for that?”

 

Scott huffed, “no, you asshole, for like dinner or something. I’m really into her man, don’t kill my buzz.”

 

Stiles laughed, “so, this girl…”

 

Scott smiled, “Allison. Her name is Allison. Argent. She and her dad just moved to town. They’ve been traveling around the world. They collect and study ancient art and weaponry. Hey, did you know she minored in French at Brown?”

 

Stiles rolled his eyes, “was all this written on her coffee cup?”

 

Scott punched Stiles lightly in the arm, “you know, that’s ok, just keep making fun of me. But, did I lay into you when all you could talk about for weeks was Derek?”

 

Stiles acted shocked, “excuse me? Actually, you did.”

 

Scott lowered his voice as they turned the corner in a hospital corridor, “is he still, you know, a werewolf,” he wiggled his eyebrows.

 

“Yes, Scott, it isn’t a curable condition you idiot.”

 

Scott nodded, “how is,” he did air quotations, “The Pack?”

 

Stiles scrubbed at his face, “you still think that Derek is the leader of some sort of gang don’t you?”

 

Scott shrugged, “to be honest man, I’m not sure what I believe. But, I know that thinking of you dating a gang member and thinking of you dating a werewolf… well, there is no preferable option. So, I don’t think about it most of the time.”

 

Stiles sighed, “even though Jackson is also a werewolf and he and Lydia are part of the pack?”

 

Scott shrugged, “like I said man, not thinking about it.”

 

Scott stopped mid-stride, “by the way, are you speaking to Lydia or Jackson or Derek again after that nasty revelation?”

 

Stiles tilted one of his hands back and forth as if to say, sort of, “I was never really speaking to Jackson because he’s a douche, and it is hard to stay mad at Lydia even if she is a lying liar who lies. I mean, I understand the need for secrecy, but once she saw Derek in my lab, well, she should have said something.”

 

Stiles grinned, “As for Derek, it is really hard, dude, to be mad at someone who consistently brings their A-game in the bedroom.”

 

Scott made a pitiful noise in the back of his throat, “dude, I do not want to know about your sex life.”

 

Stiles just winked and started walking again, he called over his shoulder, “come on, Scott, no sulking. Where are you taking the _amazing, angelic, Allison_ on your first date?”

 

Scott caught up with Stiles, his brow creased, “um, I hadn’t really thought about it that far ahead yet.”

 

Stiles just laughed.

 

 

 

When Stiles got home that night Derek was sitting on his couch watching the news. Stiles flinched a little, still not used to another person occupying his apartment sometimes.

 

One side of Derek’s mouth twitched up, “how is it that you gave me a key and you still jump when you walk in and I happen to be here?”

 

Stiles grumbled, “Sometimes I forget I gave you a key.”

 

He dropped his keys and his wallet on the table and collapsed onto the couch next to Derek, the other man’s warm, solid presence soothing Stiles after a hectic Monday. He turned his head to the side and took a good look at Derek who looked just as beat as he did.

 

Stiles smiled lazily, “you look like you had a shit Monday too.”

 

Derek shrugged, “a few things came up, I’m dealing with them, I don’t really want to talk it all out right now.”

 

Stiles nodded, “well, eventually my rampant curiosity will get the best of me, but for right now, let’s order take-out from that place across the street and call it a night.”

 

Derek leaned over and pressed his mouth to Stiles’ for a second before pulling back, “sounds good to me.”

 

Stiles called in their order and jumped in the shower while Derek went to pick it up. He let the hot water wash the smell of his lab away for a bit, clearing his head, mostly, of all the thoughts he had regarding his work. By the time Derek got back, Stiles was coming out of the bathroom in a towel feeling a lot more relaxed than he had earlier.

 

Stiles took one look at the expression on Derek’s face as he set the large paper bag down on the counter and he flung out his hand, “stop it right there Mister.”

 

Derek’s eyes narrowed and he started stalking across the living room. Stiles made a beeline for the bedroom and a last ditch effort to get some clothes between his skin and that look Derek was giving him.

 

Derek caught him before he even reached the dresser, lifting him and practically tossing him onto the bed. Stiles laughed, but whined, “Oh my god, seriously, I am hungry.”

 

Derek crawled onto the bed, licking a stripe up Stiles’ calf; his voice was that rumbling sort of purr that only showed up when he was turned on. And now Stiles was turned on.

 

He gasped as Derek’s mouth closed over one of Stiles’ nipples, his body caging Stiles in on the bed.  Stiles moaned and made a half-hearted attempt to argue again, “but, the food…”

 

Derek looked up at him, “…will be there when we’re done.”

 

Stiles couldn’t help but smile, shoving his fingers into Derek’s hair and pulling him in for a kiss. He felt Derek’s hand pulling the towel open and he threw his head back as he felt a firm hand wrap around his cock as Derek’s mouth descended to Stiles’ throat, nipping at the tendons and licking at the dip behind his collarbone.

 

Stiles brought his hands up to wrestle with Derek’s jeans, mumbling, “off, get them off.”

 

Derek chuckled before assisting Stiles in his struggle, yanked the jeans down just far enough to slot his now naked hips up against Stiles’ own, their cocks rubbing together with delicious friction.

 

Stiles wrapped his hands around both of them, stroking at a fast pace, racing towards his orgasm as Derek panted into his neck and pushed himself up into Stiles hand. Stiles stroked his thumb over Derek’s slit and then his own, smearing their precum together. He felt Derek shudder and knew he was close.

 

Derek’s mouth found Stiles’ lips, his tongue pushing inside. Stiles broke the kiss for a second, focused on the motion his hand was making. A thought crossed his mind, slipping out of his mouth before he had even completed the thought, “god, I want to fuck you.”

 

Derek’s hips stuttered and he came all over Stiles stomach, his breath catching on a growl that rumbled his chest. Derek darted down, sinking his teeth into Stiles shoulder and Stiles came with a shout, gloriously surprised at the turn of events and carried along by a wave of pleasure.

 

Three minutes later Stiles was still lying on the bed, Derek draped across him licking at the bite mark on Stiles’ shoulder, “we should talk about what I said.”

 

Derek rolled off of Stiles and sat up, looking down at Stiles, “there’s nothing to talk about. You want to fuck me and I’m okay with that.”

 

Stiles blinked and Derek sighed, “I never meant to make you feel like I don’t ever bottom. If you assumed it because of the whole alpha thing, then, well, you were wrong.”

 

Stiles took a moment to process this, “do you prefer to top?”

 

Derek shrugged, “I prefer to top when I first have sex with someone, because my wolf _does_ have issues with submission. But, I feel comfortable with you.”

 

Derek paused as if looking for words and Stiles, for once, kept quiet, understanding how difficult verbalization was for Derek sometimes, “I feel safe with you.”

 

Stiles smiled, leaning up to kiss Derek’s nose, “okay.”

 

Stiles looked down at himself, “but let’s wait for when it feels right. I can’t go another round now anyway. First I need another shower, and then I want some fucking food.”

 

Derek rolled his eyes, “your priorities are startling.”

 

 

 

Turned out, Stiles and Derek didn’t see much of each other the rest of the week. Stiles was in the middle of clinical trials on a drug he was helping to create. When he wasn’t working on that he was spending every spare moment working and reworking the molecular structure of Derek’s molecules from his liver to his blood to his DNA. Stiles was using the generously donated samples to try and understand what made werewolves so fucking resistant to everything.

 

Derek, or so it seemed to Stiles, was dealing with some territory issues and seemed unusually distracted the few times Stiles spoke to him. Between both their real jobs and their _side projects_ , neither one of them had a lot of time in the day for anything other than sleep.

 

After talking to Scott, Stiles texted Derek on Thursday about maybe going bowling on Saturday night. Stiles explained that Scott had met some new girl, who he wanted to take out, but he wanted it to be very relaxed and he thought it would be nice to do a group thing. Stiles explained that he’d already talked to Lydia and Jackson and that the whole pack was invited. Derek responded that everyone was in. Stiles texted Danny too.

 

Stiles stopped by the ER Thursday afternoon to let Scott know that pretty much everyone was coming and Scott looked both relieved and even more terrified.

 

“Stiles, why did I think it was a good idea to introduce her to EVERYONE on our first date?”

 

Stiles shrugged, “I don’t know Scott? Because you were terrified at the thought of being alone with her for an entire evening?”

 

Stiles smirked, “your future together looks bright.”

 

Stiles winced as Scott punched him in the arm.

 

 

Hindsight is twenty-twenty and Stiles realizes now that a lot of things happened on Saturday night that, had they happened any other way might have entirely altered the outcome of the evening. He can appreciate that it was not one person’s fault, or anyone’s fault. But, he also knows that he was the common denominator.

 

He was the one who, given more information, could have put things together in time to maybe do something. If he had pushed Derek about what he had been up to all week. If he had thought to give Derek Allison’s name instead of just telling him Scott had met a girl. If Allison and Scott had gone back to the car for her jacket five minutes later. If Derek, Erica, Boyd, and Isaac had shown up five minutes earlier. If. If. If.

 

 

Allison seemed confident, friendly, and funny even if Stiles knew she must feel a little overwhelmed. He liked her and he could tell Lydia liked her, and as far as Scott needed to be concerned that was all that mattered. The rest would fall into place. Lydia was already explaining to Allison all the cute boutiques downtown you could find scarves, when Allison remembered that she had left her jacket in the car.

 

She stood up, smiling at Lydia, “it is a lot cooler in here than I thought it would be.”

 

Scott stood up, “hey, it’s fine, I’ll go grab it.”

 

Allison smiled, “no, no, stay and bowl, I’ll just grab it and be right back.”

 

Scott smiled, a little shy, “I have the keys to the car.”

 

Allison bit her lip and tried not to grin, “you’re being very persistent. Why don’t you accompany me?”

 

Scott grinned and told everyone they’d be right back.

 

Once they headed outside Lydia spun around in her seat to Stiles, “Is she not just _interesting_? And her hair. I want her hair.”

 

Stiles laughed, “I like your hair, Lydia, and come on now, Scott found her first.”

 

Lydia rolled her eyes, “I don’t want to date her Stiles. But, I am going to take her shopping.”

 

Stiles turned his head and caught Derek walking in with the other wolves. There was a sort of preternatural grace to them that was unmistakable, but that humans would just consider poise or confidence.

 

Stiles felt someone bump his shoulder and he looked over to see Danny smiling like something was really funny, “I think you’re drooling a little bit there.”

 

Stiles scrunched his nose up, “oh, har har Danny, you jackass.”

 

Danny just laughed and got up to bowl.

 

Derek sat down in the vacated seat and lightly kissed Stiles on the mouth. He watched Boyd, Erica, and Isaac settle in to talk to Lydia.

 

“Did you see Scott and Allison on the way in? They had to go grab something out of the car.”

 

Derek shook his head, “no, but we parked on the side.”

 

Stiles nodded, “gotcha. Well, I can’t wait for you to meet her. I have to give Scott some credit. She is just as amazing and beautiful as he said.”

 

Derek tried to work his face into the scowl he wore less and less often around Stiles now, “do I need to be worried?”

 

Stiles let out a bark of laughter, “not that worried. She seems pretty into Scott.”

 

“How did they meet?”

 

Stiles looked up at the scoreboard on the screen, it was almost his turn, “oh, at the coffee shop near the hospital. She’s new to town.”

 

Stiles looked back at Derek when he felt a subtle shift, he couldn’t explain what alerted him, but suddenly something about Derek felt wrong. He glanced briefly at the other pack members, even Jackson, who all had their heads titled at an angle, their bodies still, as if listening.

 

Derek’s voice was low when he asked, “what did you say Allison’s last name was again?”

 

Stiles felt the bottom drop out of his stomach, “I didn’t. It’s Argent. Why are you…?”

 

But Stiles never got the rest of the question out because his ears were suddenly filled with screaming. Allison tore back through the front door, her face terrified.

 

She was yelling, “call an ambulance! Please, someone call 911! There’s been an animal attack in the parking lot!”

 

Stiles saw the guy at the shoe counter pick up the phone, but their group was already springing into action. Before he had really processed what was happening he, Derek, Lydia, and Danny were sprinting for the parking lot. Boyd had his cellphone in hand already dialing, and the rest of the pack was flanking them out the door.

 

Allison ran ahead of them, leading them to the car and Scott. Stiles almost lost it when he rounded the car and caught sight of his friend, but he kept it together, kneeling with Lydia and Danny to assess the damage.

 

It looked like something feral with large claws had used Scott’s chest as a scratch post. There were bits of skin hanging loose, muscle and bone exposed, and blood, so much blood.

 

Scott was barely conscious, fighting to move, to stay present. Lydia pushed his shoulders to the ground and Danny and Stiles shared a look over Scott’s prone form. This was bad.

 

Lydia’s voice came out more soothing than Stiles had ever heard it, soft but firm, “Scott, you need to stay still for me. Can you do that?”

 

Scott’s breath was wheezing in and out, stuttering as his body attempted to perform basic functions through the pain and despite the injuries. Stiles kept a hold of Scott’s hand, feeling for the pulse that beat there, for now. He and Danny agreed that nothing could be accomplished without medical supplies. The best they could do was wait for the ambulance and hope that Scott made it to the hospital once they got him in transit.

 

Stiles could hear voices a few feet away. Allison and Derek’s voices cutting into Stiles laser focus on Scott and his injuries. Their heads were bent towards each other, their stance stressful but familiar.

 

Allison looked traumatized, but her voice and movements were calm, as if she had been trained to react to these situations in a certain way, “I know it was Peter, Derek, I’ve seen pictures of him. My Dad thought it prudent to keep an eye on him. But, he went dark a few months ago.”

 

Derek looked angry, “I should have known it was him the minute I sensed a lone wolf roaming the edge of the territory. But, I haven’t seen him in years.”

 

Allison glanced over a Scott and her voice broke a little, “I didn’t have anything on me but my silver hunting knife. I managed to get a clean stab at his back before he threw me off. It won’t kill him, but it might have slowed him down. It got him off of Scott and outta here.”

 

Derek shook his head, “I didn’t sense him. I didn’t smell him…”

 

Allison nodded, “he’s clever. You know he always has been. Just like he’s always been crazy.”

 

Derek’s fist were clenching and unclenching and his betas looked anxious, “Fuck!”

 

Allison ran a hand through her hair, “I fucked up. I normally carry more weapons on me, but…”

 

She glances over as Scott again, “it was a _date_. I was just going on a date. And my Dad and I had already talked to you. I didn’t think I had anything to fear from your pack. I didn’t even think about there being other…”

 

She was cut short by the distant sound of sirens. Stiles felt his entire body freeze and unfreeze.  What mattered right now was getting Scott to the ER stat.

 

He looked up at Derek and he had no idea what his face looked like, but suddenly Derek was barking out orders, “Ok, Danny, Stiles, Allison, and I will go in the ambulance. Lydia, you stay here with Erica, Boyd, and Isaac. Remember to keep the story vague when the cops ask. Allison screamed something about an animal attack. No one saw the animal. No one knows what sort of animal it was. It was dark. Allison wasn’t sure what she saw. We were inside. Everything happened so fast.”

 

People from the bowling alley were spilling out, curious on-lookers, and inching closer to where they were.

 

Stiles turned to Danny, “just in case, do you think you can talk the EMT’s into riding up front?”

 

Danny nodded, “yeah, shift tonight should be Josh and Will, we do a poker night thing sometimes, they’ll do what I ask; especially when they see it’s Scott.”

 

The ambulance pulled up, two guys jumped out, ran over. Stiles moved aside so they could assess the situation and speak to Danny. Lydia was already getting up from where she had been softly speaking to calm Scott. Stiles glanced down to see that he had lost consciousness.

 

It took Danny two minutes to convince the guys to just load Scott up and let Danny and Stiles take point in the back of the ambulance. Before long they were speeding for the hospital.


	3. Chapter 2

Stiles isn’t really proud of the things he said in the back of that ambulance. He’s still not one hundred percent positive he made the right call. He won’t know until Scott wakes up and he can talk to him. Until Derek can talk to him. But, Scott is alive and his injuries are fading. Stiles can’t really allow himself to think too much beyond how grateful he is for that.

 

 

After sitting for a full 24 hours by Scott’s beside, Lydia finally forces Stiles, through threat of life and limb, to go home and get some rest. Stiles does drag himself home and goes immediately to take a shower. He laughs when he realizes he’s still wearing his bowling shoes. As he takes his clothes off and eases into the hot spray the laughing turns to gut wrenching sobs and he sits in the tub until the tips of his fingers are wrinkled.

 

After that he drags himself into his bed and sleeps well into the evening. By the time he wakes up it’s dark outside and he realizes he should be hungry, but he’s not. Stiles thinks about the last time he saw Derek, standing in the lobby as Stiles followed Scott’s stretcher back into trauma. Stiles looked back once, but there was no time and there was nothing to say.

 

Now, lying in the emptiness of his apartment, Stiles allows himself to contemplate the effect his actions will have on his relationship. Derek doesn’t trust easily, he’s said as much to Stiles before. And now, Stiles has forced Derek into doing something that at best was non-consensual but medically justifiable and at worst was deeply morally reprehensible to the code Derek lives by.

 

Stiles took all the knowledge that Derek had given him and he’d turned it against him in a last ditch effort to save Scott. Stiles still couldn’t be sorry that Scott was alive, but he could be sorry about how and why he was alive. He could be sorry that he had shouted at Derek. He could be sorry that there was so much miscommunication. He could be sorry that things hadn’t happened differently. Stiles was just sorry and he really didn’t ever want to leave his bed. 

 

Stiles floated in that dejected state in the dark for a while until the sound of a key turning in a lock roused him. He heard his front door open and he held his breath.

 

Stiles heard Derek walk through the living room and open the door to the bedroom. He didn’t turn on the light as he moved to stand beside Stiles bed. Stiles figured it was because Derek could perfectly see where Stiles was curled under the covers.

 

Stiles wasn’t even sure what to say, but he started with, “I’m sorry I yelled at you. I didn’t mean what I said. What happened was nobody’s fault.”

 

Derek said nothing. For once Stiles wasn’t in any hurry to fill the silence.

 

Derek sighed like just the act of breathing was an exhaustive exercise, “what if it had been you?”

 

Stiles frowned, “what?”

 

Derek sat down on the edge of the bed, “in the back of that ambulance. What if it had been you?”

 

Stiles didn’t understand so he waited for Derek to explain, “you made it clear to me once that you weren’t interested in being turned against your will. I assumed that what you meant was that you wanted to remain human.”

 

Derek turned his head to look at Stiles, “what if it had been you bleeding to death on the pavement and I could save you, but it would mean turning you? What if I had to either let you die or disregard your wish?”

 

Stiles’ voice was barely a whisper, “I would want you to save my life. Derek, saying I don’t want to be a werewolf is something I have decided that I don’t want right now. That might change one day and it would certainly change if it meant living to hug my Dad again, to see you again.”

 

Stiles wiped at his eyes even if all his tears had dried up before he fell asleep onto a wet pillow, “I mean, do you know what I would give to kiss my mom on the cheek one more time?”

 

Derek nodded, “yeah, I do actually.”

 

Stiles made a small noise in the back of his throat, but Derek continued, “What I’m trying to say though, is no one talked to Scott. We don’t know what he would have wanted and we don’t know how he’s going to react.”

 

Derek’s shoulders shifted, “I need you to understand how complicated the situation is when you have the power to save someone’s life, but what you’re actually giving them is so much more. It is a gift and a curse. I saved Scott’s life, but I also completely altered who he is, what he is.”

 

Derek hung his head down, “we made a choice for Scott. We chose to save his life. And, Stiles, you need to know that I made a choice to comply with your demand. You didn’t make me do anything I didn’t decide to do. But, _we_ made a choice and we will have to live with whatever the consequences are.”

 

Stiles shifted, closer to where Derek was sitting, placing his hand over Derek’s, “what are you and the Argents going to do about your Uncle?”

 

Derek’s voice sounded even more tired if that was possible, “Peter almost killed a human who posed no threat to him. He has let his anger and grief twist him into a werewolf with no loyalty, no pack ties, and no compassion. He’s just animalistic rage running on pure, focused vengeance.”

 

Stiles squeezed Derek’s hand, “what happened?”

 

“I told you once that I lost my pack, my family, to a fire started by some hunters.”

 

Stiles nodded, “well, it wasn’t just some hunters, it was Kate Argent, Allison’s aunt. She was unhinged, even for a hunter. Please know that Allison wasn’t old enough to even really remember this and I know, _I know_ , that Chris Argent was blameless.”

 

Stiles nodded.

 

Derek gazed at the back wall, unable to meet Stiles’ eyes, “but I didn’t know that Kate was crazy and I didn’t even know that she was a hunter when I met her. I just knew she was gorgeous. I knew she wanted me. I thought that it was hot that she wanted to sneak around.”

 

Stiles had to strain to hear Derek’s next sentence, “sometimes I would leave my window unlocked for her.”

 

Stiles gasped, but Derek pressed on, “it wasn’t hard to figure out what had happened once the flames died down and she had disappeared.”

 

“I wasn’t home when she and some other hunters burned my family and my house to the ground, but Peter was and he was the only one who made it out alive. I’ve never told him it was my fault they all died. It’s my fault he’s become this psychopath. Chris says he thinks it was Peter that put his hand through Kate Argent’s chest during a hunt gone wrong a few years ago. He tried to turn Allison’s mom, bit her, but she decided to honor a more ancient portion of the hunter’s code rather than live as a wolf.”

 

Derek stood up, separating his grip from Stiles, “but that is Allison’s story to tell.”

 

Stiles sat up, “you’re leaving?”

 

“What I need to do can’t wait. I need to have Peter taken care of so I can focus on acclimating Scott.”

 

Stiles nodded, “ok, just…” he wanted to say so many things. I’m sorry. I’m here for you. I need you. I wish I could make it better. I think I might love you.  I’m sorry.

 

“… you have a key.”

 

Derek smiled, “I know.”

 

Stiles waited until he heard the lock click before falling backwards into his sheets. He heaved a sigh, thinking about Scott and about the Argents and about Derek and how fucking glad he is that Kate fucking Argent is dead. Then he feels bad for a second because she was Allison’s aunt.

 

Then he thinks of a young Derek, wanting passion and love and acceptance, so venerable, so broken now that he thinks what happened to his family is his fault, and Stiles just gets angry again.

 

It takes him a few minutes to realize that from the time he walked in to the time he left Derek didn’t voluntarily touch him once.

 

 

 

Stiles finally crawled out of bed when Lydia texted him that Scott was awake.

 

He walked into the hospital room and was promptly greeted by Lydia shoving a neatly wrapped bagel into his chest.

 

Stiles looked at it, contemplating the idea of swallowing it past the lump in his throat, “what if I already ate?”

 

Lydia rolled her eyes as she walked out of the room, she had scrubs on so she was probably already on shift, “ _please_. There’s orange juice on the table.”

 

Stiles decided that it was worth getting a few bites in just to please her. She would do something crazy like check the trashcan in the room to see if he had disposed of the bagel or actually eaten it.

 

Stiles smiled when he shifted from the bagel in his hand to the hospital bed. Scott was sitting up and alert and, judging by the crumbs, already done with his bagel. He smiled when he saw Stiles.

 

Stiles sat down in the chair by the bed, leaning over to place his hand in Scott’s. He couldn’t hug him because of all the bandages on his chest.

 

Stiles thought of a bunch of manly, bro things to say but he ended up with just, “I’m so glad you’re alive.”

 

Scott smiled, “me too man. I hear I have you and Danny and Lydia to thank for that.”

 

Stiles shrugged, “you would have done anything to save me if it had been the other way around.”

 

Scott nodded, “yeah, but thanks.”

 

Stiles nodded.

 

Scott perked up a bit, “Allison came by to see me. I thought for sure that she would freak and I’d never see her again. I mean, getting attacked by an animal on our first date wasn’t my best foot forward, you know?”

 

Stiles laughed, “yeah, well, she seems like she can handle herself. Might take more than that to scare her off.”

 

“I sure hope so because I thought it was going really good up until the searing pain in my chest.”

 

“Do you remember anything?”

 

Scott shook his head, gingerly poking at the gauze covering the front of his torso, “not really. I mean, I don’t really remember images; it’s sort of a blur. I remember sounds. I remember growling, Allison screaming, Lydia’s voice, and sirens, you yelling some shit. That’s about it.”

 

Stiles nods and they lapse into silence. Stiles unwraps the bagel and considers it before taking a bite.

 

Scott readjusted himself on the bed and watched Stiles chew, “They said they’re going to change the bandages tomorrow. So, I’ll finally get to really see the damage. They talked about skin graphing, but, I don’t know man, that seems painful and I could just wear a shirt.”

 

Stiles tried not to twitch or wince. Derek had made all of them promise, Allison included, not to say anything until Derek and Stiles and Allison could do it together. They had all been in the ambulance. They all had a piece of the puzzle that Scott would need to understand.

 

But, they were going to have to do it soon. Derek said Scott wouldn’t feel any of his new werewolf abilities or urges until closer to the impending full moon. But, Stiles had a sinking suspicion that there was nothing but mildly irritated skin behind those bandages. It would be difficult to explain.

 

In fact, the more Stiles thought about it, the more he considered that the hospital might not be the best place for Scott. They needed to get him out of here sooner rather than later.

 

Stiles started formulating an idea, “hey Scott, what about I get you outta here?”

 

Scott made a confused face, “what?”

 

Stiles leaned forward, “I’m a doctor man, in case you all forget sometimes. I can take care of you at my place. You’ll have an actual bed to sit in. I can cook for you. I can help you get around and change your bandages.”

 

Scott nods, “the doctors say I’m stable, and, oh man, I could play your Xbox. That would be sweet!”

 

Stiles scoffs, “I’m so glad you’re this pumped about just spending time with me.”

 

Scott lets out a whine, “no, come on, of course I am. But, my Xbox has been broken for months. Months, Stiles, I need Call of Duty in my life more often.”

 

Stiles grins, “yeah, yeah, keep it in your pants Dr. McCall. I’ll go make a few inquiries.”

 

Two hours later, with Scott in a wheelchair, meds in hand, bandages and other supplies in the other hand, Stiles has secured Scott the right to recover over at Dr. Stilinski’s. He congratulates himself on a job well done.

 

He texts Derek to let him know what’s going on and to tell him that Scott’s gunning to take the wound covering off and they need to talk soon.

 

Derek texts back over an hour later that they’re closing in on Peter. Tells Stiles not to let Scott remove the bandages, and adds a reminder to stay in the apartment once it gets dark. As texts go, it’s perfunctory.

 

Stiles purposely leaves his phone in the kitchen and goes into the living room to occupy Scott with some FIFA World Cup Soccer.

 

 

 

It’s weird, Stiles thinks, that Derek managed to become just a permanent fixture in his life. Stiles didn’t realize how consistent and comfortable their interactions had gotten until this attack on Scott had somehow prompted Derek into near radio silence. It’s ironic that Derek had asked Stiles the first time they slept together if he truly comprehended just how permanent their relationship could get.

 

Stiles had taken that a few ways.

 

One way was about how he feels when it comes to Derek, like a whirlwind has taken up residence in his chest. Oddly, though, being with Derek has grounded Stiles these past few months. When Stiles is loud, Derek is silent. When Stiles is spastic motion, Derek is contained and purposeful. It was as if Stiles had lived on one side of a scale his whole life and Derek’s entrance had been like someone placing a counter weight onto the other side. Without Derek, Stiles just felt like an imbalanced scale. That kind of felt permanent to Stiles.

 

The other way that Stiles and Derek’s interaction could become, had become, permanent was the knowledge they held between the two of them. Stiles’ life had been touched by the supernatural and Derek’s life had been touched by Stiles. The pack liked Stiles. Scott was a werewolf. Even if Derek and Stiles were to breakup, there was no disentangling themselves at this point.

 

It was scary. Stiles was scared. The first few months were tough in any normal relationship and he and Derek weren’t normal.

 

Stiles got up from the couch, having already convinced Scott to sleep in his bed, and padded into the kitchen for some water. He checked his phone. No messages. Stiles sighed. If Derek wasn’t pulling away, then he had Stiles fooled. This Derek, the one he had been dealing with since Peter had blown back into town so spectacularly, was like the one Stiles had dealt with in the first month of their agreement. When Derek would manage to spend a good thirty minutes in Stiles’ lab without actually speaking more than twice.

 

Stiles threw himself back down onto the couch. Derek was either attempting to not so gracefully push Stiles back to arms length in hopes of driving Stiles to break up with him. Or Derek’s only way to deal with a crisis was to shut down and to pull back in an attempt to shelter Stiles. Neither one of those were good ideas in Stiles’ opinion. They were also awful excuses for not calling or texting your boyfriend back.

 

Stiles thought about Kate Argent. She hadn’t exactly given Derek a lot of confidence in picking partners who would be loving, supportive, or _sane_. But, Stiles was gonna shake that bitch’s lasting grip right out of Derek Hale’s head if he had to freaking soul journey into some other dimension or something. Was that a thing? God, that was probably a thing. Stiles fell asleep before he could contemplate alternate dimensions too closely.


	4. Chapter 3

Chances are we'll be the combination

Chances come and carry me

Chances are waiting to be taken, and I can see

 

Chances are the fascinations

Chances won't escape from me

Chances are only what we make them, and all I need

~ _Chances_ , Five for Fighting

 

 

 

Stiles wasn’t sure what woke him. He was cold. He didn’t remember his apartment being drafty and he certainly hadn’t turned the AC up.  Maybe it was because the window was open. Well, who the fuck had opened the window? Derek? Stiles tried to wake his brain up as he struggled out of the blankets tangled around him on the couch. Derek had a key. He didn’t come through the window anymore.

 

Stiles was walking over to shut and lock the window when he heard Scott shout from the bedroom. Stiles bounded around the living room furniture, running the short distance down the hallway and into the bedroom.  He hit the lights.

 

Scott had rolled out of bed and onto the floor, was panting loudly, and looking towards the corner of the room with a shear look of terror on his face.

 

Scott glanced at Stiles and then back to the man standing eerily still in the corner of the room, “why do you look familiar?”

 

Stiles’ mind was reeling. If Scott recognized this guy, whom he shouldn’t be able to because that would lead to some awkward questions, then this must be Peter. Stiles thought _oh fuck_ just as Peter began to speak.

 

“Well, of course you recognize me Scott, I did attack you in that parking lot. You must have a pretty good memory, because I only looked like myself for a second. Are you sure you weren’t attacked by an animal?”

 

Peter grinned at Stiles before continuing, “that is what they told you right?”

 

Scott frowned, concentrating, thinking, and Stiles wanted to punch Peter in his fucking face. This was not how this conversation was supposed to go. Where was Derek or Allison, or Allison’s Dad for fucks sake?! Stiles didn’t have his phone near him. Hell, he didn’t even have any Wolfsbane or silver on him. Damn it!

 

Stiles tried to keep his voice calm, “Scott, don’t listen to him. I don’t know who he is. He’s crazy.”

 

Scott’s frowny face got even frownier, “If you don’t know him, how do you know he’s crazy. And how does he _know my name_?”

 

Stiles rolled his eyes, “Oh my God, Scott, now is not the time for you to suddenly become logical!”

 

Peter smiled with teeth that Stiles knew could get a lot sharper, “those are very good questions Scott. But, Stiles is right, I am crazy.”

 

He clapped his hands together, “not the point though. The point is, Scottie here is now a member of the club. So exciting. Isn’t it exciting Stiles?”

 

Stiles started edging towards Scott in an attempt to put himself between the psycho werewolf and his best friend, “I think it’s exciting that Scott is _alive_ after the ordeal he went through.”

 

Peter nodded with what Stiles was sure was mock sincerity, “you’re so right. And, good news, I’ve decided not to kill Scott. Or, rather, try to kill him again.”

 

Stiles couldn’t help the sarcasm that slipped into his voice, “that is so great of you, really.”

 

Peter held up a modest hand, “no, no, don’t thank me yet. See, the problem is, I realized that I’m really punishing the wrong person in all of this. I thought hurting the Argents would feel good,” Peter grinned savagely, “and it did. It really did.”

 

Peter took a step forward towards Stiles and Scott, creeping closer, “but, then I realized that there were people in my own family, _my own family_ , that had a hand in what happened to me.”

 

Stiles knew exactly where this was going, of course he did, he knew the story. Peter was trying to kill Derek. He had figured out about their relationship and he was just going to wait here, terrifying Stiles and Scott, until Derek showed back up.

 

Stiles tried to sound intimidating, “you aren’t going to lay a single fucking claw on Derek.”

 

Peter laughed, Stiles shuddered at the emptiness of it.

 

 “You are so feisty. I like it. I bet Derek likes it too,” Peter looked right at Stiles, “I’m almost sure he loves you.”

 

Stiles couldn’t have kept his mouth from falling open if he tried and Peter just laughed again, “I’m not sure what’s better; the fact that you don’t seem to understand how deeply Derek cares for you, or the fact that you think I’m going to kill Derek.”

 

Stiles decided to ignore Peter’s first comment, “you’re not going to kill Derek?”

 

Peter shook his head, “no, no, of course not, he’s my nephew, I could never kill him.”

 

Peter paused for dramatic effect, “but, see, and no hard feelings, I am going to kill you.”

 

He held his hands up, “I know, I know, but it has to be done.”

 

Peter growled, his eyes glowing an eerie blue that caused a small, “tha fuck,” to slip out of Scott.

 

Peter’s features began to shift as he continued to speak, “Derek is going to live with the agony of your death. I’m going to rip your throat open.”

 

Stiles really wanted the record to show that he faced death with the calm honor of a fucking gladiator. But, if he’s being honest with himself, when Peter lunged at them Stiles’ scream could have summoned bats.

 

He pushed Scott out of the way, using the momentum to propel his own body in the opposite direction. Peter crashed through the space between them. Stiles scrambled away towards the door, hoping that Peter would pursue him into the living room and leave Scott alone.

 

Stiles came thundering into his living room and noticed two things immediately. He had left the already open window, well, open. And that his living room had three more people in it than when he left it.

 

Allison and a man Stiles assumed was Mr. Argent were standing, one with an arrow notched on a bow, the other with a gun aimed straight at Stiles. Or, aimed at what was behind Stiles. Derek was standing there too and even in his panic Stiles almost lost his breath.

 

He had never seen Derek in his full beta form – fangs, red eyes, hair, and claws. He was terrifying and magnificent. Stiles cleared the couch, ducking for cover as Allison let her arrow fly straight at Peter, pursuing Stiles out of the bedroom.

 

It made a thud as it connected with solid flesh. Peter roared, but the arrow barely slowed him down. Derek rushed him and the two wolves collided together. The growling and snarling that filled the air was terribly loud. Stiles prayed that his neighbors assumed he was watching a horror movie. And, really, Stiles almost laughed, because he sort of was.

 

Derek and Peter were going for kill shots, no holding back. Stiles found himself holding his breath and watching as Allison and her Dad looked for shots to take. But it was no use; you couldn’t take a shot without the possibility of hitting Derek. Stiles watched as Derek managed to get through Peter’s defenses, scraping his claws across his throat.

 

There was so much blood. All over Derek. All over Peter as he dropped to Stiles’ hardwood floor and died right there in Stiles’ living room. For the love of God, he was going to have to move. He was never not going to look at that spot and not see the growing pool of blood creeping out from the still body of Peter Hale.

 

Derek was panting, heaving really, his head still bowed, unable to look away from his uncle’s prone form. Stiles looked past him to see Scott standing in the bedroom doorway with a look of glazed shock on his face. Stiles fleetingly thought that explaining everything to Scott would maybe be marginally easier since he now had irrefutable proof that Stiles had been telling him the absolute truth about “The Pack”.

 

Allison walked over to Scott to speak to him in low tones while Mr. Argent went to hesitantly touch Derek on the shoulder. He gestured to Peter’s body and said something in a hushed tone. Stiles assumed they were discussing getting rid of the body.

 

Stiles made his way over to Scott, not sure of the reception he would get with Derek right now. Scott just gestured wildly in the general direction of Stiles’ living room, “dude, what the fuck?”

 

Stiles nodded, “I know, ok, I know we owe you an explanation. But, just give us all a little time to figure a few things out. Ok?”

 

Scott nodded, “ok. But,” he looked a little shell-shocked, “you were telling me the truth.”

 

Stiles nodded and couldn’t help the small smile the flitted over his lips and then was gone, “I don’t lie about the supernatural, dude.”

 

Scott scoffed, “this is all surreal.”

 

Allison put her bow onto her back over his arrows, “you have no idea.”

 

Scott looked at her as if really seeing her for the first time, “why are you even here?!”

 

Allison looked back towards her Dad and Derek, “Scott, it’s a long story…”

 

Stiles jumped in, “and we’re going to tell you, but later.”

 

Stiles felt a shift in the room and looked to see Erica, Boyd, and Isaac ducking in through the window by the fire escape. Apparently, two of them were going to help Derek get rid of the body and the other one was going to stay here to make sure that Stiles’ apartment looked _brand-fucking-new_. Those were Derek’s exact words.

 

Allison walked over to Derek and Stiles could hear what they were saying, but barely. Allison asked if she could take Scott home with her. Stiles thought about objecting, but his intuition told him Allison was the real deal – safe, compassionate, loyal, honorable. If she wanted to be the one to take the bandages off Scott and explain everything, maybe he and Derek should let her.

 

Derek seemed to agree because he nodded and reminded her that he would still need to work with Scott to help him learn control. Derek asked her to tell Scott that he was allowed to be mad, but that he would need to start working with Derek as soon as possible.

 

Stiles just showed Isaac where all the cleaning products were and went to gather up Scott’s things.

 

Stiles tried to make light of the situation with Scott once they were in Stiles’ bedroom alone, “looks like Allison has decided that, despite your awful first date, she wants to take you home anyway.”

 

Stiles wriggled his eyebrows and Scott rolled his eyes, “you’ve got some shit to deal with here it looks like anyway.”

 

Stiles sighed, “yeah, I do. But, just, call me tomorrow ok?”

 

Scott nodded, “I will. I’ll see soon anyway. We share a shift on Wednesday. I’ll come say hi to you in your man cave.”

 

Stiles smiled at Scott’s affectionate term for Stiles’ lab, “of course,” he held out his fist and Scott bumped it with his own.

 

Stiles tried to keep his tone light as he pulled Scott in for a hug anyway, “I love you, bro.”

 

Scott hugged him tightly too, “I love you too, dude.”

 

Stiles tried not to cry as he thought bitterly that Scott might not feel that way soon. Once Allison told him everything. The fact that Stiles’ was almost glad he and Derek weren’t going to be there for it made him feel a bit like a coward. But, Stiles had some other fierce conversations to have of his own. Conversations that involved ridiculously, emotionally withdrawn werewolves.

 

He also needed to help Isaac clean the puddle of blood up off his floor. Stiles sighed as Allison, Scott, and Mr. Argent left through the front door and Boyd, Erica, Derek, and Peter’s body slipped out the window.

 

He didn’t say anything to Derek. He hadn’t said anything to Derek. Stiles just hoped that, eventually, Derek would find his way back.

  

 

**_An Interlude_ **

 

Allison thought that Scott had taken the news rather well.  She didn’t think that Stiles and Derek were off the hook. But she thought she had explained it in a way to Scott that had made it understandable to him, what they had all been though in the back of that ambulance as he coded.

 

Scott turned his head to look at her where they sat on the side of her bed, “were you going to tell me you were a werewolf hunter?”

 

Allison nodded, “of course, eventually. When I met you I had no idea you had a connection to Derek. I would have figured it out anyway on Saturday if…” she trailed off.

 

Scott grimaced, “if Peter hadn’t attacked me and we would have all met like normal people at the bowling alley.”

 

Allison nodded and gave him a small smile, “the first thing you learn about being involved in all this,” she sort of gestured vaguely in the air, “is that nothing ever goes normally.”

 

Scott signed, “I was hoping we would go normally. Normal date. Normal second date. Normal relationship.”

 

Allison reached over to squeeze Scott’s knee, “I still want those things Scott. Let’s just hope that date number two goes better.”

 

Scott didn’t smile or laugh though, he jumped to his feet, pacing the floor in front of her, “How can you say that?”

 

Scott looked so defeated, “how can you say that it doesn’t matter when everything I am now is something you’ve been taught is unnatural.”

 

Scott looked down at his body as if disassociated with it, “I’m not me anymore. You barely knew me before, when I was human. You don’t owe me anything now that I’m…”

 

He stopped. He still couldn’t say it. Allison shook her head and stood up, stepping towards him. She reached up to lay her hand on his cheek, but he flinched back. She reached up to touch the other cheek, pushing his face towards her so that he could look into her deep brown eyes.

 

Her voice was strong and steady when she spoke, “look at me. _I don’t care_.”

 

Scott opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off, “no, listen, I don’t care. I don’t care that you’re a werewolf. I don’t care that I’m a hunter. You haven’t hurt anyone Scott. You aren’t going to hurt anyone. Because me and my Dad, Stiles and Derek, the pack, they aren’t going to let that happen. Do you understand?”

 

She brushed her thumb across his cheek, “and what I know without reservation is that I would rather be dating a werewolf, than live with the knowledge that after _one date_ I watched you die in the back of that ambulance without ever getting the chance to _know_ you.”

 

She smiled, “because, Scott McCall, you’re not just a werewolf. You’re a doctor, and a gentleman, and you’re funny, and you’re kind. And I think I knew the moment you picked up my coffee cup in that café that I could love you.”

 

 Allison’s voice wavered for a minute, but her firm hand on Scott’s face never shook, “my Mother committed suicide, a warriors death as she saw it, when she was bitten. But, I would have accepted a mother that was a werewolf when the alternative is that I never ever get to hug her again. So, please don’t shut me out of your life. Please let me walk this road with you, for as long as we can, together.”

 

Scott still seemed torn, “I don’t want to hurt you.”

 

Allison smiled, “That’s not going to be a problem.”

 

Scott barely felt Allison move, heard a slight whirring noise, and there was a silver dagger at his throat, just barely touching the skin.

 

Scott was shocked for a moment, then he grinned, “maybe I should be more concerned for _my_ wellbeing.”

 

Allison threw the dagger down, “maybe if you try to steal my coffee again.”

 

Scott laughed and put his arms around her as she leaned up to kiss him.

 

 

 

Derek decided to use the key he had instead of the window. He had never been great with words; with taking the emotions flowing in and over him, the human, the lupine, and forming them into some sort of verbal description.

 

He was just so tired and the reawakening that these past few months with Stiles had been was wearing on him even more. He had been more like his old self than he had been since, well, before the fire, when he had been his old self. It was like being in pain, being given a drug that took away the pain, only to emerge once more into pain when the medicine wore off.

 

Stiles was lying in wait for him in the living room. Isaac was gone and so was the blood on the floor.

 

Derek looked down at his shirt, torn and covered in his uncle’s blood. This was why he didn’t deserve nice things, “Stiles. I can’t. I don’t know how.”

 

Stiles didn’t look as wounded as Derek maybe thought he would. It could be that the blow wasn’t an unexpected one. Stiles was observant and Derek hadn’t been covert with his attitude the past few hellish days.

 

Derek scrubbed at his face and tried to deliver the explanation that Stiles deserved, “What if something happens to you because of this world I’m wrapped up in? What if you decide that you can’t do this, with me, anymore? What if you become famous for curing cancer? You’re so brilliant and driven.  And you’ve got places to go, places I don’t know if I can follow you.”

 

Derek pressed his hand to his chest, could feel the anxious feeling of the wolf, restless, inside him, “I’m already in too deep. I know it. I feel it. I’ve fallen for people before. _The wrong people_. But, it was always just me. The wolf has never taken interest in anyone but you. I don’t even know what to do with that?”

 

He didn’t know what else to say. He just looked at the floor.

 

Stiles came to life though, as if sensing that Derek had said everything he could.

 

His voice cut through the room, his arms thrown wide, “So, your automatic response is to cut me out of your life!? How does that make sense Derek?”

 

Stiles shook his head, “I’m not going anywhere. I care about you. What do I have to do to convince you that I’m committed to this relationship?”

 

Stiles walked over to Derek, poking him in the chest, “you think just because you have a wolf inside you that you get to corner the market on intense feelings?! I’ve never felt this way about anyone before!”

 

Stiles’ hand rose up to grip onto the front of Derek’s bloody mess of a shirt, “I’ll fucking marry you if that’s what it takes.”

 

Derek looked up at that and couldn’t manage to look away from Stiles’ blazing eyes as he continued, “Do you know how crazy I sound to my own ears? I haven’t even introduced you to my Dad! But, if that’s what it takes! Hell, do you know any witch doctors that could maybe shake a stick and spiritually bind our souls or something? Is that a thing?!“

 

Stiles laughed softly, calming a little, his voice still fierce, “look at me and see me telling you that I love you and I’m all in.”

 

Derek felt blindingly terrified and achingly hopeful, “I don’t, I’m not, I can’t…” it was like all the thoughts and all the words had turned to ash on his tongue, but Stiles knew what to say.

 

“I get that you’re afraid. You’re afraid because you care too much and you’ve lost too much that you care about. I get it. You don’t have to say it out loud. But, you have to let me stay in your life. You have to trust me just enough to believe me when I say I’m not leaving.”

 

Derek nodded, it was hard and it was easy, it was very complicated and extremely simple. He just said, “ok.”

 

Stiles took Derek by the hand and surprised him by leading him, not to the bedroom but to the bathroom. He worked methodically to strip Derek of his torn, dirty, and bloody clothing, removing his own along the way. And then Stiles got under the hot spray of the shower with Derek and washed all the blood and grit away from his skin with gentle, soapy strokes.

 

He talked too. When was Stiles ever not talking? He talked about all the research projects and teams he was considering being a part of. He talked about proteins, DNA strands, neural blockers, and white blood cell counts. He just kept up a soft, steady stream of words that Derek had no hope of understanding and only had to simply let wash over him. It was calming. He felt clean for the first time in a long while, and not just physically.

 

He then dragged Derek out of the shower and dried him off. They fell exhausted, naked, and warm into Stiles bed. The sheets smelled like Stiles and Derek mixed together, from months of Derek sleeping over, and a little like Scott. He sniffed at the pillow and sniffed at Stiles hair.

 

He wanted. They both did. But it was late and they were tired. It could wait. They were together. Stiles wasn’t going anywhere.

 

Derek turned away from Stiles, tugging his arm to get his attention. Stiles turned over, somewhat bewildered for a moment before he realized that Derek wanted Stiles to curl around him instead of their usual other way around. Stiles gave a sleepy smile, spooning up behind Derek and throwing an arm over his hip.

 

He felt Stiles’ nose touch the back of his neck, then his lips, like a benediction.  Derek fell asleep thinking for the first time in a long while about safety and home.

 

 

 

Derek woke up to a hand trailing gently up and down his side, over his hip, and down the side of his thigh, only to start the journey back up. It was nice, unhurried, and he took a minute to appreciate the idea of not rushing into sex. Derek wasn’t sure if he’d ever been naked with someone and not been about to, actually was, or had just finished fucking them.

 

But, with Stiles, he could take the time to breathe, to process his emotions and not want to pull away. He could lay here naked and just let Stiles put his hands on him. He turned onto his back, exposing his stomach to Stiles and felt gratified in the hitch of breath that earned him.

 

Stiles hand didn’t still though. His fingers traveled from right below Derek’s bellybutton, up and up, to circle around a nipple, before they came to rest over his heart.

 

Derek rolled onto his side towards Stiles to kiss him, lazily licking into his mouth as their bodies aligned. Stiles broke the kiss and Derek tilted his head back and let Stiles move his mouth down Derek’s throat. Derek groaned as Stiles sucked at the tender skin under his jaw and growled as Stiles’ blunt human teeth scraped over the tendons in Derek’s neck.

 

Derek tugged at Stiles again, helping him maneuver until he was situated in the groove between Derek’s thighs, propped above him. Derek thought he saw Stiles eyes glaze over for a second as he gazed down at Derek.

 

He seemed to shake himself out of it and instead of asking Derek if he’s sure Stiles says, “Is there anything I should know?”

 

Derek maintained eye contact as he spoke, “I might shift slightly during. I lose control easier when I’m on the bottom. I won’t hurt you, I would never, but it might seem a little intense.”

 

Derek watched in amazement as Stiles’ eyes dilated and he caught himself scenting the air as the heavy scent of arousal thickened even more. Derek’s voice caught in his throat and he felt a shiver run up his spine as he and Stiles’ now rock hard erections pressed more firmly together.

 

He stroked his hands down Stiles’ neck and over his shoulders, “does seeing me in my beta form turn you on?”

 

Stiles bit his bottom lip and thought for a minute, “there are aspects that I find appealing.”

 

Derek took a second to process how this new information makes him feel and he finally nodded, “ok.”

 

Stiles reached for the lube and threw it on the bed as he began to move his way down Derek’s body. Derek shuddered as Stiles paid special attention to Derek’s belly and hips. Stiles nipped along Derek’s ribcage and dipped the tip of his tongue into Derek’s bellybutton while his thumbs drew circles on Derek’s hipbones.

 

Stiles settled between his legs, grabbing the lube and spreading some around on his fingers before he licked a strip up Derek’s cock. Derek hissed, spreading his legs more and Stiles made a soft gasping noise before nosing at the inside of Derek’s thigh. Derek groaned as Stiles patiently passed the tips of his fingers over the tight ring of muscle at Derek’s rim while sinking his teeth into the soft flesh near Derek’s groin.

 

Derek watched Stiles watch him as he sunk the first finger in. He could feel the wolf aching to break out, but he reined it in for a little bit longer. Derek hadn’t said it in as many words, but his lack of control as a bottom isn’t because he doesn’t like being on the bottom… it’s because he likes it a lot. A lot.

 

Derek’s breath stuttered out as Stiles teased another finger at his rim, his eyes narrowed in concentration as if to catalogue every desperate whimper he puled out of Derek.  Derek worked to keep his hips flattened on the bed when Stiles pressed his fingers up and hit Derek’s prostate.

 

A rumbling growl escaped from his throat and his eyes flashed to red and Stiles’ mouth dropped open on a groan as he whispered, “Oh my God, this is hot.”

 

When Stiles got three fingers in, and he was teasing Derek by slowly stroking his cock and choosing when to hit his sweet spot, Derek felt his claws come out. He tore through the top sheet and managed to barely retrain himself from destroying the mattress. He managed to hold his human form as Stiles ran his mouth hotly across Derek’s lower abdomen, avoiding putting his lips on Derek’s dick.

 

“I’m ready,” he practically sobbed it at Stiles.

 

Stiles hesitated for just a second. Derek was sure it wasn’t because he didn’t believe Derek. It was more likely he thought about dragging out the long torturous process. But he moved finally to bring his hips forward and lineup.  Derek watched Stiles’ beautiful, lithe body shift as he moved to arrange Derek.

 

When Derek felt Stiles’ cock pushing at his entrance, sliding in without resistance, he felt the air punch out of his lungs. Stiles’ just filled him up and came down to bracket Derek in by placing his palms on Derek’s biceps instead of the bed. He knew Derek could take it and he probably also had some idea of how pinned down it made Derek feel. They both knew that Stiles couldn’t hold Derek down, but the illusion was nice.

 

Stiles moved his hips in a circle, pulling out just a little bit and moving back in. They both groaned. Derek revealed in the fact that all he had to do was lay there, his claws decimating the sheets, his eyes now completely red behind his lids, his hips moving restlessly to stir Stiles into action.

 

Stiles was panting and Derek wasn’t sure if he realized he was whimpering slightly and saying things to Derek, “so good. God, you are so beautiful.”

 

Derek made a noise of his own, an impatient rumbling sound that tapered off to a whine when Stiles pulled out all the way and screwed his hips forward again. He started to fuck Derek hard, working to hit his prostate every time. It was what Derek needed and Stiles knew. He just knew.

 

Stiles who Derek never told anything more than what was necessary. Stiles, who Derek tried so hard not to scare or disgust; it was like Stiles already knew all of it, had seen most of it, and still wanted to be with Derek. He still found Derek attractive and alluring and important.

 

Derek opened his eyes, shining with a red light, so he could watch Stiles. His eyes were watching Derek, the honey brown of them practically glowing in the early morning dawn light coming in through the window. Stiles also had his bottom lip between his teeth as if concentrating on pounding Derek into the mattress.

 

Derek had to try a few times to talk, “Stiles. I’m…”

 

He didn’t make it to the word close though because Stiles got the hint and he must have been really close himself. His pace picked up even more, but his rhythm stuttered a bit. He didn’t reach down to stoke Derek’s cock. Instead he leaned down even more, his tongue flickering out to swirl along Derek’s lips.

 

Stiles was still panting a bit, but his voice was direct when he spoke into Derek’s ear, “I know you can come just like this, with me inside of you. I want you to.”

 

Derek whimpered, but Stiles continued, “I get it you know? I always have. Why you like marking me up, covering me in your scent, fucking me until I can’t think straight. It’s because _I’m yours_ and you want every other wolf to know.”

 

Stiles fucked into Derek relentlessly, “well, guess what? _You’re mine_.”

 

With that Stiles moved his head slightly and sank his blunt, human teeth into the juncture between Derek’s neck and shoulder. In hindsight, Derek should have been mad, because Stiles had no way of knowing what Derek’s reaction to that might have been. His wolf could have lost it and hurt Stiles.

 

What actually happened though was _Derek_ lost it. He cried out, a near howl bubbling out of his chest, and he shuddered through his orgasm as Stiles continued to push into him. Derek’s entire body felt like a livewire, connecting where Stiles’ was still inside of him to where Stiles’ teeth were still latched into the meat of Derek’s shoulder.

 

About the time that Stiles let up his pressure on the bite, soothing it with a lap of his tongue, Derek heard him moan and felt his hips stutter as he came.  He felt Stiles’ orgasm fill him, as he lay boneless on the bed.

 

Neither one of them moved for a minute; both trying to catch their breath. Finally Stiles pulled out and rolled off. He went to go get a washcloth to clean Derek up. As he wiped him down, they watched as the finger shaped bruises on Derek’s biceps, the hickies, and the bite mark on his neck healed and faded.

 

Derek could see the look on Stiles face. Not disappointment, because he was very aware of Derek’s healing ability. More like resignation; like he had known when he made those marks that they would be gone.

 

Derek reached up to guide Stiles mouth to his, thanking him with the press of his lips and the slide of his tongue for knowing what Derek needed and for being sure enough to give it to him.

 

Derek pulled back far enough to speak, “you don’t have to leave a mark for me to belong to you. Some marks you can’t see.”

 

Stiles smiled and settled down, he curled himself around Derek and slung an arm over his chest before closing his eyes, “I’ll just bite harder next time.”

 

Derek huffed out a laugh and closed his eyes to get some more sleep.

 

 

 

Derek stalked into Stiles’ lab, looking for possible signs of danger. Stiles didn’t look distressed to Derek; he looked agitated, eager, but not upset. The text he sent Derek ten minutes ago had clearly said _**911 in Lab**_ though.

 

He flailed when he saw Derek and he gestured to papers he had strewn all over the glass-top workspace beside some of the equipment he used most, “Look at this. Look at this!”

 

Derek tried to make sense of the hodgepodge of drawings he sees and just sort of shook his head, “what am I looking at Stiles?”

 

Stiles’ voice sounded breathless, “what are… what are you looking at? Oh my GOD! Of course you don’t know!”

 

He started shuffling through the papers, mumbling to himself, “I took a sample of Scott’s blood. He’s still milking that grudge thing though, so I had to give him the riot act about medicine and humanity and shit.”

 

Derek sighed, “you know Scott’s not mad at you anymore, right?”

 

Stiles looked up for a minute, his honey brown eyes catching Derek’s, “I know. I didn’t say he still had a grudge. I said he was milking it. I’ve become his own version of the Thanks, Obama joke.”

 

Stiles gestured wildly in the air, “Scott’s a werewolf now. Thanks, Stiles. Scott spills his coffee on his shirt. Thanks, Stiles.”

 

Derek tried to hide his grin and Stiles just turned with amused exasperation back to his pile of papers.

 

Stiles lurched forward and grabbed at what seemed to be random sheets of paper, but Derek figured he knew exactly what he was snatching up. He swiped at the rest of the mess, pushing them into a pile and a few floated off the table down to the floor.

 

He smacked one of the drawings down; “this is a rough sketch of one of your immune cells, the ones that keep you in top physical condition. They’re the reason that you can’t get sick, can’t get cancer, can’t get hurt for the most part.”

 

Stiles slaps another drawing onto the table, “this is the immune cell of a human. While amazingly resilient, they are susceptible to disease and destruction by any number of germs, viruses, bacteria, cancerous cells, blah, blah, blah.”

 

Derek finally thinks he realizes where Stiles is going, but he keeps quiet as Stiles lays the last piece of paper down, “this is a drawing of Scott’s immune cell structure. It performs just as well as yours does at fighting off anything I introduce to it, but the structure is remarkably similar to that of a human’s, only slightly off.”

 

Derek nodded, “but it’s the structural differences between mine and Scott’s that means something.”

 

Stiles flailed his arms again, “It means _everything_.”

 

Stiles tapped at Scott’s paper, “You are a born wolf, the lycanthropy was inherited from your parents and passed down into your DNA. But Scott, he was bitten.  What makes him a wolf, the lycanthropy, took over his body, remade it into the image of what you are. But, it had to work with what it had been given, it had to adapt and integrate itself into his human body.”

 

Stiles gestured wildly, “Scott’s blood is like the fucking Rosetta Stone of cell mapping. If I can isolate what changes caused Scott’s human cells to morph into your cells, the super werewolf cells, then I could use that to create a synthetic immune cell that could adapt to the human body, but have the regenerative power of a werewolf.”

 

 

 

**_One Year Later_ **

 

Stiles’ face was so comically gleeful that Derek couldn’t stop his own face from forming the beginnings of a grin, “I swear to God, if you make another Werewolf in London joke I will strangle you the minute I step off the plane.”

 

Stiles laughter sounded brightly through Derek’s iPad, one of the sounds he cherished most in the world pinging off satellites over the Atlantic Ocean to reach Derek’s ears.

 

Stiles didn’t say anything about werewolves in London though, he just grinned some more, “I can’t wait to see you.”

 

“Me too.”

 

Stiles gestured to the space behind him, “the flat they’re renting for me is huge. We can have sex all over it.”

 

Derek rolled his eyes, “you’re ridiculous.”

 

Stiles just wiggled his eyebrows, “you won’t be saying that when I have you bent over the…”

 

Derek raised his voice, “I’ll see you tomorrow night! Remember, my plane lands in Heathrow at 6:55PM your time.”

 

Stiles waved his hand, “yeah, yeah, I got it. I’ll see you then. I can’t wait to tell you all about the conference so far! Everyone seems to know who I am. It is weird.”

 

“It’s not weird Stiles, you created a ground-breaking serum to shrink and possibly eradicate cancerous cells in the human body.”

 

Stiles shrugged, “it’s not exactly a cure.”

 

“It’s the closet anyone has gotten so far and you’re not done yet.”

 

Stiles smiled, smaller this time, “Not even close.”

 

Derek was about ready to sign-off when Stiles spoke up, “do you believe me now?”

 

Derek’s confused, “about what?”

 

“I said I was going to find a cure for cancer. I sorta did that. And I said that I was never going to leave you. Do you believe me now?”

 

Derek smiled, “it was never about believing the things you told me. I always believed you. It was about believing all the things I told myself.”

 

Stiles nodded, a small smile on his lips, “see you soon.”

 

Derek’s finger hovered over the end conversation button, “Love you.”

 

Stiles grinned, “love you more.”

 


End file.
